Defense of Luzon

The defense of Luzon occurred from 10 December 1941 to 9 April 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippine island of Luzon at the start of the Battle of the Philippines. The US Army entrenched in three positions along the main roads, with these positions consisting of trenches, sandbag positions, and anti-tank guns; additional US troops were sent to man the trenches, and tanks were sent to assist in the defense of the strategic points. The Americans held off Japanese attacks for a long time, destroying scores of Japanese Ha-Go and Chi-Ha 47 tanks and Isuzu trucks with anti-vehicle shells and gunning down several more Japanese troops with tank machine-guns and infantry rifles. After holding off several attacks by the IJA 16th Division, the Americans proceeded to counterattack and assault the Japanese entrenched positions to the north. The Japanese were briefly held off, but they would eventually overwhelm the American and Philippine forces on the island by April 1942, when the surrender of Bataan marked the end of American resistance on Luzon.